Standing in front of the room at Pierce-Bishop Hall at Trinity Episcopal Church last week, Sarah Steward asked the attendees at the monthly One Table Cafe to imagine what homelessness looks like.
“What does homelessness look like in this community? How did those people get there? What did they experience last night? In your mind’s eye, what does it look like,” said Steward, the chief operating officer at HomeFront.
Without skipping a beat, Steward said that half of homeless families have a breadwinner who is working more than 40 hours a week – sometimes at three minimum wage jobs and still cannot afford the rent on a two-bedroom apartment.
Less than half of adults have an emergency fund of at least $500. If they are involved in a car accident and miss a few weeks of work, they may become homeless, Steward said. They are living close to the edge.
And that’s why HomeFront has been stepping into the breach every day for more than 25 years. Last year, the Lawrence Township-based nonprofit group answered nearly 30,000 requests for help – shelter, food and life-changing assistance, Steward said.
That’s what the guests at Trinity Episcopal Church’s One Table Cafe learned last week from Steward, who was the guest speaker at the monthly gathering.
One Table Cafe is held at the church on Mercer Street in Princeton on the third Friday of the month. Everyone is welcome, regardless of race, gender, religion, country or origin or ability to pay.
One Table Cafe’s meals are catered by local restaurants and are offered on a “donate what you can” basis. The net proceeds are donated to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, Mercer Street Friends, Bread for the World and Episcopal Relief.
But back to HomeFront, Steward and the nonprofit group’s mission – to end homelessness in central New Jersey, to help families become self-sufficient, and to help the working poor.
HomeFront grew out of its founder’s desire to help the homeless families that were being warehoused by Mercer County’s social services department in motels up and down Route 1 and Route 130, Steward said.
Connie Mercer, HomeFront’s founder and chief executive officer, was appalled at the living conditions at the motels, Steward said. There was a roof over the family’s head, but no place to play. And besides, they were surrounded by “questionable characters,” she said.
Mercer and her friends brought meals to the families who were living in the motels – and that was her introduction to the lives of the homeless and the realization of the difficulties they had in finding jobs and housing, Steward said.
That led Mercer to organize HomeFront more than 25 years ago. The nonprofit group has made strides in helping to prevent homelessness by ensuring that clients have the tools they need to succeed – from education so they can find jobs, to housing that is affordable, Steward said.
HomeFront is based on several core beliefs, starting with the belief that families deserve safe, secure housing, she said. The housing ranges from emergency shelters to supportive housing that includes an assortment of social services. HomeFront manages 100 units of affordable housing, scattered across several towns.
Another core belief is that with the right tools, everyone can succeed, she said. HomeFront helps clients earn their GED in lieu of a high school diploma, and also offers a career center and job coaching.
Families learn about cooking and nutrition. HomeFront also offers an art program, in which the subtle lesson is to learn to develop a vision and to “finish what you have started,” Steward said.
The third core belief is that families need the basic necessities to live a life with dignity, she said. It provides furniture to families through its “Furnish the Future” program, and clothing and other necessities through its aptly named “FreeStore.”
HomeFront also has two food pantries, and distributes bags of food to about 1,000 clients every month, Steward said. More senior citizens have been turning to the food pantry recently in search of food, she added.
One of HomeFront’s most recent initiatives is its Diaper Bank, she said, adding that diapers are as important to young families as food. One in four families experiences “diaper need,” she said. Mothers must choose between buying food or buying diapers, which can cost $1 apiece at the corner store in Trenton.
Children are at the heart of HomeFront, Steward said. They need to be nurtured with love and support so they can grow up on a path to realize life’s possibilities. HomeFront tries to give them a vision and the tools to get there, she said.
There are after-school and enrichment programs, and an eight-week summer camp. The summer camp enables the mothers to continue to work. Homelessness is higher during the summer because of the lack of childcare, so if the mother stays home, she is likely to lose her job, Steward said.
“So what can you do? You can use your voice. Share this message with lawmakers. We have seen the government shred the social safety net, and its bureaucratic approach (to homelessness),” Steward said.
“HomeFront is evidence of what Margaret Mead once said – ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, that’s the only thing that ever has,’” Steward said.